Striking aged care workers are taking their fight direct to Southern Cross Care headquarters in inner suburban Adelaide today, the latest in a series of rolling stoppages.
Aged care workers will stage a protest at Southern Cross Care’s Glenside head offices in their fourth week of action, following strike action at AnglicareSA’s Hindmarsh headquarters yesterday.
“Southern Cross Care chief executive David Moran must listen to his workers’ demands,” United Workers Union Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith said today.
“Workers from across Southern Cross Care’s 17 facilities have taken strike action to tell Southern Cross Care they need to show their workers respect.
“These are the aged care workers who have cared for aged care residents throughout the pandemic.
“Today aged care workers are converging on Glenside to tell Southern Cross Care that their offer is not good enough.
“Workers are demanding better pay, more staff and more time to care.
“Workers have been forced to take strike action by conditions in aged care that have gone from horrible to terrifying.
“The sooner Southern Cross Care gets on board and recognises workers need to be treated fairly, the sooner the appalling conditions facing aged care workers and aged care residents can be addressed.”
Ms Smith said the strike at Southern Cross Care – South Australia’s largest aged care provider caring for more than 1300 aged care residents – and strike action in AnglicareSA yesterday occurred alongside strike actions in five other aged care providers in WA and Queensland.
“The terrible fact is more than 12 months on from the Royal Commission report, older Australians still do not have access to the level of care required to ensure they can live with safety and dignity,” Ms Smith said.
“Appropriate staffing and a workforce that is valued and respected are the keys to quality aged care.”
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